CAIRO — Amid the ongoing dispute between authorities and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the security services launched a massive campaign aimed at arresting top businessmen in the country “for their involvement in supporting and financing the group’s activities in Egypt to strike the national economy and destabilize the country,” as per the results of an investigation conducted by the Public Prosecution released on Dec. 7.

On Dec. 5, the Public Prosecution ordered the arrest of businessman Safwan Thabet, executive chairman of the board of directors of Juhayna, the leading producer of dairy and bottled juices in Egypt, for a period of 15 days pending investigation on charges of joining and financing the Muslim Brotherhood.

Thabet, who was arrested at his home on Dec. 2, is one of the founders of the Egyptian Business Development Association. Prominent businessman Hassan Malik, a leader of the group and the person primarily responsible for its economic influence, inaugurated the association on Aug. 12, 2012, when the Brotherhood was still in power.

Also on Dec. 5, Egyptian authorities arrested businessman Sayed Ragab al-Sweerky, owner of the famous chain of Al-Tawheed and Al-Nour stores in Egypt, on charges of financing and joining the Muslim Brotherhood group with the intention of disturbing public peace and undermining confidence in the Egyptian state and state institutions.